As climate change increases the frequency of drought, excessive rainfall, and other extreme weather events, farmers face growing uncertainty about crop production. Understanding how farmers perceive and respond to that uncertainty can help improve agricultural policy and climate adaptation strategies.

International exchange was a foundational experience for Ron and Melanie Warfield, and now, the couple hopes to help students follow in their footsteps. Through a $1 million gift to the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the couple has created the Ron and Melanie Warfield Global Scholars and Experiential Learning Innovation Fund.

Professor Joseph P. Janzen was formally invested as The Clearing Corporation Foundation Endowed Associate Professor in Derivatives Trading in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on May 12.

When the semester ended this May, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign said goodbye to one of its most beloved professors. Paul Stoddard has retired after more than 25 years of dedicated service to the university and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. 

Faculty and students from the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign traveled to Springfield on March 24 to take part in the 56th annual Illinois Agriculture Legislative Day, joining leaders from across the state to advocate for agriculture and share the college’s impact.

The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has named Benjamin Quirke the recipient of the 2026 Robert M. Harrison Leadership Award for demonstrating strong leadership and engagement through his involvement in student organizations and professional experiences within the college.

Paul E. McNamara, a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, and Mia Bonds, an undergraduate student in ACE, are winners of 2026 International Achievement Awards from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Illinois International. These awards recognize outstanding alumni, faculty, and students whose exceptional work, service, and/or scholarship has made a significant, global impact. 

Paul E. McNamara

Precision agriculture first gained traction in the 1990s, when GPS technology made it possible for farm equipment to map and manage fields with a level of detail that was not possible before. Farmers could accurately apply fertilizer or seed at different rates across a field, responding to variations in field conditions.

Madhu Khanna, Alvin H. Baum Family Chair and Director of the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE), has been named a 2025 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), one of the highest honors awarded to U.S. scientists.